Communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as data, voice, video and so on. These systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting simultaneous communication of multiple communication devices (e.g., wireless communication devices, access terminals, etc.) with one or more other communication devices (e.g., base stations, access points, etc.). Some communication devices (e.g., access terminals, laptop computers, smart phones, media players, gaming devices, etc.) may wirelessly communicate with other communication devices.
Many activities that were previously performed in quiet office or home environments may now be performed in acoustically variable situations like a car, a street or a café. For example, a person may communicate with another person using a voice communication channel. The channel may be provided, for example, by a mobile wireless handset or headset, a walkie-talkie, a two-way radio, a car-kit or another communication device. Consequently, a substantial amount of voice communication is taking place using portable audio sensing devices (e.g., smartphones, handsets and/or headsets) in environments where users are surrounded by other people, with the kind of noise content that is typically encountered where people tend to gather.
Such noise tends to distract or annoy a user at the far end of a telephone conversation. Moreover, many standard automated business transactions (e.g., account balance or stock quote checks) employ voice-recognition-based data inquiry, and the accuracy of these systems may be significantly impeded by interfering noise. Accordingly, devices that may help to reduce these inefficiencies may be beneficial.